Ocean Sunfish
Mola mola
(mole-a mole-a)
The ocean sunfish is shaped like a colossal pancake! On average, it measures 11 feet (3.5 m) long, 13 feet (4 m) tall, and less than 3 feet (1 m) wide. It weighs a truly massive 5,500 pounds (2,500 kg). Without a swim bladder to help control its buoyancy, like other fish, it uses a layer of fat instead. It also lacks a proper tail. This all makes it an endearingly awkward, ungainly fish. The ocean sunfish is the heaviest bony fish in the world.
Where They Live
Ocean sunfish live in a wide range of waters, from the central coast of New South Wales in Australia all the way up to the Mediterranean Sea. They spend most of their time at great depths, but sometimes they’ll swim to the surface to regulate their body temperature or let other fish and birds pluck parasites off their skin while they float on one side, soaking up some sunshine.
What They Eat
Ocean sunfish are omnivorous, which means they’ll eat both plants and animals. They’re especially fond of jellyfish and plankton, though on occasion they’ll sample other fish and crustaceans. They tend to eat small animals because their mouths are tiny compared to their large body, and they’re not able to close them completely.
Close Relations
This enormous fish is closely related to the tiny pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae.
Conservation Status
Vulnerable
Lots of creatures hunt the ocean sunfish, including orcas, sea lions, and great white sharks. After all, they’re big enough to make an epic feast for anything that catches them!
But humans are the biggest threat to this fish. Many sunfish die after being struck by boats or caught in fishing nets. Many more die from eating plastic waste, which they mistake for jellyfish. In one year alone, people caught around 340,000 sunfish, either by accident or on purpose.
Fun Facts
